The main purpose of Health and Safety is very simple – to protect people from harm. These people might be colleagues, pastors, leaders, employees, volunteers, visitors, friends groups, congregation members or contractors. People could suffer an injury, suffer from ill-health because of the work they do, or be affected by an emergency such as a fire in a building.
The reasons for good safety fall into three broad categories:
- Moral and Ethical – there is a moral obligation to take care of other people
- Legal – poor safety provision can lead to both criminal proceedings and civil action
- Financial – poor safety costs individuals, organisations and society as a whole
There are a number of overriding reasons why we need Health and Safety outlined below. All reasons lead to the same conclusion — Health and Safety is an essential part of every Church and Place of Worship.
1. Suffering an Accident Can Be Distressing
OK, there are different kinds of accidents: some injuries are minor (like a paper cut to a finger) which might be a bit uncomfortable for a while, but other accidents could endanger life. Accidents can be distressing to the person who suffers the injury and even a minor injury can cause some discomfort. More serious accidents can cause severe distress and misery, and can be the cause of long-term mental health problems like depression.
Most people would not wish to be responsible for someone else's injury or illness. This is a clear moral reason why accidents should be prevented.
2. Seeing an Accident Can Be Distressing
If there is a severe accident, perhaps leading to long-term hospital treatment, disability or death, there might be witnesses. It can take a long time for people to forget about such horrific scenes. In fact, some people never forget about horrific things that they have seen, especially if they were a child at the time. This could lead to the witness suffering ill health as a direct result of what was seen.
There is also an impact on the family and friends of someone who has suffered a major injury — such as the loss of a limb — where the person might need additional support and care. Similarly, death can have a major impact on many people. A single injury can have a massive impact on the community as a whole.
The press and media coverage of a serious accident can have a massive effect on how an organisation is perceived in a town, city or region. This is a good reason why Health and Safety is so important, not least to Churches and Places of Worship that should be seen as caring.
3. Health and Emergency Service Costs to Society
The impact of injuries and workplace accidents can be severe on society as a whole. Add to this the cost of running the emergency services that respond to accidents and dangerous events, and the total costs to the taxpayer are enormous. Much of this is wasted because accidents, fires and other dangerous events are avoidable.
4. Legal Requirements – Criminal Law Applies
It is a legal requirement to ensure the safety of people. This is underlined by the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. People who fail to ensure others' safety could find themselves in court, faced with a fine and/or a prison sentence. This legislation applies to Churches and Places of Worship.
The Act itself only gives us general duties. Regulations add detail to what is needed, but the onus is on those who run and manage premises to ensure people's safety through a process called Risk Assessment.
Similarly, fire safety law is covered by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which places duties on any person responsible for a building to ensure the safety of people against fire risks.
5. Legal Requirements – Civil Liabilities Mean People Can Sue
If someone suffers an injury due to the negligence of another, a claim for compensation could be made in the civil courts. This can have serious financial implications after awards are made, costs paid and legal expenses covered.
One of the central elements of the legal Tort of Negligence is the "Neighbourhood Principle" – taking reasonable steps to ensure the safety of those that can reasonably be expected to be affected by your actions or inaction. This is where the term "Duty of Care" comes from. This principle has deep roots in the Christian principle of loving your neighbour.
6. Insurance Costs Can Escalate
Many insurance providers assess each organisation to decide the risk — in other words, how likely it would be that a claim would be made. An organisation with a poor safety record is likely to pay a large premium. Some insurance companies might even refuse cover, or include exemption clauses, if they feel the risk is too high. It is clear that the costs of insurance will rise if Health and Safety is neglected.
7. Costs of Accidents Can Be Significant
It is hard to estimate the costs of accidents. Many costs are hidden while others are overlooked. Consider some of the direct costs:
- Staff might need to be paid sick pay while they recover
- Temporary cover might need to be brought in
- Equipment and property might need to be replaced if damaged
- Equipment like fire extinguishers might need replacement after use
- The premises might need to be closed while repairs or investigations take place
Even organisations run entirely by volunteers will face direct costs if there is an accident or fire. The costs of poor Health and Safety outweigh the costs of doing Health and Safety properly.
Watch the HSE's video about how Health and Safety (or lack of it) has impacted real people: HSE Real People Video →
What is Health and Safety NOT About?
There are many stories in the press about things being banned — from conkers in the playground to Christmas decorations in offices. Ask any Health and Safety professional and they will tell you that none of these decisions have anything to do with Health and Safety. Health and Safety is often used as a convenient excuse!
The key is to prevent harm in a way that balances the risk (the likelihood and severity of harm) against the time, effort and money it would take to reduce that risk. Most of the time, this takes a bit of thought, some common sense and not being afraid to adapt things if needs be.